Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Chrysanthemumxc3x97morifolium cultivar Bradford Orange.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemumxc3x97morifolium and referred to by the name xe2x80x98Bradford Orangexe2x80x99.
The new Chrysanthemum is a naturally occurring whole plant mutation of the Chrysanthemum cultivar Bradford, not patented. The new Chrysanthemum was discovered and selected by the Inventor on Jul. 18, 2000 within a population of plants of the cultivar Bradford in a controlled environment in ""s Gravenzande, The Netherlands.
Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by terminal cuttings in ""s Gravenzande, The Netherlands since Aug. 10, 2000, has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The cultivar Bradford Orange has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Bradford Orangexe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Bradford Orangexe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Anemone type inflorescences with orange-colored ray and disc florets; typically grown as a spray type.
2. Strong and erect flowering stems.
3. Early flowering response.
4. Good postproduction longevity.
Compared to plants of the parent, the cultivar Bradford, plants of the new Chrysanthemum are more vigorous. In addition, plants of the new Chrysanthemum and the cultivar Bradford differ in ray floret coloration as plants of the cultivar Bradford have red-colored ray florets.
Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the Chrysanthemum cultivar Troyes, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in ""s Gravenzande, The Netherlands, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the cultivar Troyes in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were more uniform than plants of the cultivar Troyes.
2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had glossier leaves than plants of the cultivar Troyes.
3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were more freely flowering than plants of the cultivar Troyes.
4. Plant of the new Chrysanthemum and the cultivar Troyes differed in ray floret coloration as plants of the cultivar Troyes had purple-colored ray florets.